[ RadSafe ] Stolen cobalt-60 found in Mexico; curious thieves likely doomed

[roseb at gdls.com]

Jim:

Your math is a bit off, the specific gamma-ray constant for Co-60 is 1.37 
R/hr @ 1 m.  The exposure rate from a 3,000 Ci Co-60 source would be much 
higher than 700 rad/h at 1 ft (~0.33 m).

Henry

Boyd H. Rose, CM, CIH, CHMM, EI
Sr. Safety and Environmental Engineering Specialist
Corporate Radiation Safety Officer
General Dynamics Land Systems
38500 Mound Road
Mail Zone 436-10-75
Sterling Heights , MI 48310-3269
Tel: 586 825 4503
Fax: 586 825 4015
E-mail: roseb at gdls.com





Jim Hardeman <jim.hardeman at gmail.com> 
Sent by: radsafe-bounces at agni.phys.iit.edu
12/05/2013 01:47 PM
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Subject
Re: [ RadSafe ] Stolen cobalt-60 found in Mexico; curious thieves likely 
doomed






Doomed? Probably so. If I did my math right, they would have been looking
at ~700 rad/h at a foot.

The question is, will medical personnel be able to make a proper diagnosis
of ARS?

Jim Hardeman -- retired :-)
Decatur, GA
jim.hardeman at gmail.com



On Thu, Dec 5, 2013 at 1:24 PM, Boing, Lawrence E. <lboing at anl.gov> wrote:

> That's what I read somewhere yesterday as well ....3,000 Curies....
>
> L Boing
> lboing at anl.gov
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu [mailto:
> radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu] On Behalf Of Lemieux, Bryan P
> Sent: Thursday, December 05, 2013 12:10 PM
> To: The International Radiation Protection (Health Physics) Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Stolen cobalt-60 found in Mexico; curious 
thieves
> likely doomed
>
> I read 3000 Ci.....
>
> On Dec 5, 2013 11:39 AM, "Estabrooks, H Bates (IHK)" <
> estabrookshb at y12.doe.gov> wrote:
> Has anyone revealed/published the activity of the source?
>
> Bates Estabrooks
> Y-12 NSC
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu [mailto:
> radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu] On Behalf Of Harrison - CDPHE, Tony
> Sent: Thursday, December 05, 2013 11:31 AM
> To: radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu
> Subject: [ RadSafe ] Stolen cobalt-60 found in Mexico; curious thieves
> likely doomed
>
> MEXICO CITY - The carjackers who set off international alarm bells by
> absconding with a truckload of highly radioactive material most likely 
had
> no idea what they were stealing and will probably die soon from 
exposure,
> Mexican authorities said at the end of a brief national scare...
>
> The cobalt-60 was found, removed from its casing, in a rural area near 
the
> town of Hueypoxtla about 25 miles from where the truck was stolen. 
Jimenez
> suspected that curiosity got the better of the thieves and they opened 
the
> box. So far the carjackers have not been arrested, but authorities 
expect
> they will not live long.
>
>
> 
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/stolen-cobalt-60-found-in-mexico-curious-thieves-likely-doomed/2013/12/05/262ef990-5d66-11e3-8d24-31c016b976b2_story.html?hpid=z1

>
>
>
> Tony Harrison, MSPH
>
> Inorganic & Radiochemistry Supervisor
>
> Laboratory Services Division
>
> Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
>
> 8100 Lowry Blvd.
>
> Denver, CO  80230
>
> 303-692-3046 | 
tony.harrison at state.co.us_______________________________________________
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